Reflections on life in the global village

Scotland and Quebec: One already a country, one not

As the referendum in Scotland approaches this week, many in Canada are comparing it to the independence referendums held in Quebec, in which the No side triumphed both times.

But as my g/f, who was born and raised in Scotland, points out, there really isn’t much to compare: Scotland is already a (legal) country; Quebec isn’t.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I have no opinion on the referendum in Scotland, even though my father’s side of the family came from that country. I was born and raised in Quebec. But I have always felt a tug on my heartstrings when Scotland is mentioned, and when I hear bagpipes . . . and when I watch the Monarch of the Glen series on Knowledge TV, which is pretty corny sometimes, but often leaves me in tears. Go figure. I guess Scotland is my genes, and some day I hope to go there with my g/f.

The motivation is a romantic nationalism. Scotland is a country linked to England by geography and history but with clear legal, educational but not economic boundaries. They think oil will replace the economic ties to England. However, there is a reason so many Scots emigrated to Canada, life is hard there. Cutting ties to England will not change the weather, lack of resources etc. Scotland may become wealthier more outside rather than inside economic Britain. However, unlike Quebec, it is a country and they are simply tweaking their relationship to England not creating an entirely new geographical, political and economic relationship as Quebec would have to do.